Success Studies

Client:

Joel Engle was pastor of a midsize, nondenominational church.

Industry:

Religious Organizations, Advertising & Marketing

Function:

Ministry

Challenge:

After a long career in pastoring, Joel decided to shift industries completely, but he needed help to do it. 

Process:

Joel reflected deeply on his goals, then he learned how to leverage his social capital to explore the unpublished market for opportunities to realize those goals.

Landing:

Rekindling an old friendship led to Joel’s being offered a position as chief growth officer for an advertising and marketing agency, a role that Joel calls his dream job.

Study:

For nearly 15 years Joel Engle enjoyed a career as a church pastor. In the churches in which he served, his efforts to develop and implement marketing strategies, improve organizational branding and communication, and make administrative and financial changes succeeded in raising income and growing congregational engagement and membership. 

Joel was pastor for a midsize, nondenominational church, where he expected to finish his career, however, after guiding the church through the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, Joel began to rethink his career path. He decided to step down to give himself some space to reflect on his next move. 

When some weeks later friends offered him an executive position at a church staffing firm, he was delighted to join them. He came to view that opportunity as a great gift, because the work revived in him professional interests that had fallen dormant during the years that he’d spent pastoring. 

Prior to becoming a pastor, Joel had had an equally long career as an entrepreneur, especially in the Christian music business. He now began to ponder whether he might be able to take the rich skillset he had developed over the past several decades between these two careers and parlay it into a role outside the church world, and at a comparable income. It was a nerve-wracking crossroads to be at, though, and Joel wanted professional guidance. 

“What I was considering was a massive career change. I felt like I was leaving my tribe. It was a moment of existential crisis for me, and I had to get my bearings straight,” said Joel.

After the new year, Joel started The Barrett Group program (TBG). 

“David Black, my Clarity coach, was fantastic! He and I connected on so many levels. I have tremendous respect for him,” said Joel. “Our sessions seemed simple at first, but they built upon each other. Towards the end, he asked me to write about my dream job. I typed out where I wanted to live, what my office was like, and how my family fit into the picture. I’ve been through coaching and personality assessments before, but not like this. David’s insights and the simple tasks he assigned me gave me a clearer vision of myself and my goals. I felt so hopeful!” 

Joel was equally happy with his career consultant and his experience in the next chapter of the program.

“Lori Chevalier was also fantastic. She was super skilled at everything. As she took me through the program, she interrogated me about my career experience to uncover details about my skillset,” said Joel. 

Those details were essential to Joel’s branding campaign. 

“I thought I already had a good resume, but man! When the TBG team got hold of my resume and LinkedIn profile, they overhauled them in a way that made such good business sense,” said Joel. “They used language that is not my vernacular. And the way they told my story, by incorporating skills, results, and numerical values from my background to quantify my experience, really showed off how much I had accomplished – and I had been careful not to pump things up!”

Joel learned LinkedIn Analytics and other technical skills, too. Joel very much appreciated the comprehensive education he got from Lori. Before long he was pleasantly surprised to see people connecting with him on LinkedIn. But the most critical component of the TBG program for Joel was learning how to leverage his social capital. 

“I became convinced of the power of the unpublished market. I applied to so many published jobs and got nothing. Even when I worked with 3rd party recruiters, the results were nothing compared to when I began tapping into my network.”

As Lori had coached him, Joel began calling people among his social capital. It was challenging at first, but he developed confidence using the TBG method.

“Even though I’m an extrovert, I was out of my comfort zone making calls. No one wants to be that guy asking his friends for a job,” said Joel. “But that isn’t The Barrett Group method. Their concept is about paying it forward. About caring for other people, asking about them, and then offering your insight and wisdom. That’s exactly what I did, and it paid a lot of dividends!”

After about a dozen calls Joel reconnected with a friend he hadn’t been in touch with in about 25 years.  

“I did a pay-it-forward call to an old friend who is CEO of an advertising agency worth millions of dollars. He caters to the Christian business world,” said Joel. “As we caught up, he told me about a vision he had to grow a new vertical within his company that, as it turns out, requires someone with my exact skillset. I intuitively shared some ideas and my value proposition with him and then he asked, ‘Would you want to work with me?’ I wasn’t even thinking about a job!”

The two discussed and hammered out the parameters of a new role and, within two weeks, Joel was hired as the company’s chief growth officer. With the help of Lori and the TBG team, Joel negotiated a compensation package that was slightly more than what he had wanted.

“I worked the process and things went exactly to plan! It started with a phone call and resulted in my dream job. It really works!” said Joel. “Of course, the other side of my success comes from the training I received from Lori and David. It empowered me. Honestly, working with them was like taking a masters course in how to find a job. It was a lot of work, and it wasn’t without moments of doubt. But they gave me the skills and the encouragement I needed to get a C-suite position on my own. I could never thank them enough for that.”

Joel is elated to have successfully transferred his skillset to a new field – especially to a Christian-led company that shares his values. And he loves his new job.

“My friend and are I are a good match. And I didn’t even leave my tribe. Looking back, I can say without question that The Barrett Group program was worth the investment times 10! It could not have been more perfect. I can’t recommend the program enough.”

Client:

Barry worked 10 years at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as a senior credit analyst.

Industry:

Banking

Challenge:

After an involuntary departure from the organization, Barry struggled to find another position that met his needs.

Process:

Barry revamped his resume and significantly improved his interviewing skills and confidence through numerous coaching sessions.

Landing:

Despite the Covid-19 related downturn, Barry successfully landed a position at a global financial services company as a senior associate of credit risk.

Study:

For ten years, Barry worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as a credit analyst and credit risk manager. He oversaw transactions at numerous American and foreign banking organizations and liaised with the regulators of various entities. He enjoyed his career there until the confluence of a bad professional decision and unfortunate timing aroused the disapproval of his managers. Not long afterwards, Barry was squeezed out.

With seven children to care for, Barry didn’t have the luxury of time to undergo a lengthy job search. When his position at the Fed was eliminated, he accepted a new position within two months that turned out to be disastrous.

“It was the worst experience in my career,” said Barry. I took the job out of fear. I should have passed on it, but I got desperate. So much was bad about the job. I hoped things would change, but they didn’t.”

Back in the job market again after only two and a half months, Barry struggled to find a position in an industry where positions are increasingly scarce, especially in New York City where his family lives. It didn’t help that he is over 50.

“Many of the banks in New York City are moving operations to lower cost centers, like Dallas, Tampa, or India. Banking is a horrible industry for labor. And there is definitely an over-50 discrimination in my field,” said Barry.

After yet another failed employment venture, Barry decided to hire The Barrett Group (TBG).

“I hired The Barrett Group because I really needed help framing better answers during interviews about why I had left my former job,” said Barry.

Barry succeeded in that and more. Two components of the process proved especially valuable. The first was a professional resume makeover.

“The Barrett Group helped me revamp my resume. It is now a much better resume than the one I came in with,” said Barry. “That alone is worth thousands of dollars.”

The second, and even more valuable, benefit Barry received from his TBG experience was personal interview coaching, which he credits for doubling the number of good interviews he had.

“I did not interview well when I started,” Barry admits. “But after coaching, I went into interviews more confident and better prepared. I probably improved my interview skills by 30-40%. That makes a big difference in a competitive job market,” said Barry.

These newfound skills shone during the interview for a position in Dallas that he knew was a long shot.

“I lacked some important qualifications for the job, so chances were not high that I would get it. Still, they considered me! That’s thanks to the Barrett Group interview skills,” said Barry.

While Barry did not get that job, he was invited to apply for another position at the company – this time in New York City where his family lived – and got it.

Beset by the Covid-19 downturn, Barry’s job search took 11 months – longer than he anticipated. But, he figures, without The Barrett Group the job hunt might have taken another six months. He is thrilled to have landed – not least, because he won’t have to relocate. That’s worth celebrating for both Barry and his seven children.

Some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals. Photo: 123rf.com

Client:

Bibi was chief administrative officer for a large university, where she worked for 24 years.

Industry:

Non-Profit Environmental

Challenge:

Bibi wanted a change, but she didn’t know how to navigate the modern job market.

Process:

After learning her professional value and best practices for a successful job search, Bibi had the confidence to try for her dream job.

Landing:

Leveraging the unpublished market, Bibi’s dream employer offered her a position and invited her to write the job description herself.

Study:

Bibi had spent 24 years working as an administrator of a large state university. In addition to leading a team of staff members across several divisions and streamlining administrative processes, she had significant financial and budgetary responsibilities. Bibi enjoyed her work for many years, but over time, she became disillusioned. The higher she rose in the organization, the less her values fit with the mission of the university. She decided to take a leap of faith and try to find a more fulfilling career.

“My job was so much red tape and yucky politics,” said Bibi. “When I realized that I could retire and get benefits, I decided to see what else was out there.”

After so long at the same organization, Bibi had no idea what opportunities there might be and little idea of how to pursue them. She enlisted help to write a resume and create a LinkedIn profile, then she began applying to job postings. A few months later she started using recruiters.

“I wasn’t getting any response. It was depressing and scary,” she said. “I realized then that I needed help navigating this new world of the job market.”

Bibi’s job search was clouded by the stress of having left her previous position without a clear Plan B. “I felt demoralized and needed someone to help me recognize my own value,” she said. “Recruiters weren’t the right answer for me. They are paid if you’re hired, which is a different financial motivation than for someone who is hired to help you find fulfilling employment. I wanted someone to help me process the circumstances of how I had left my last job, give me confidence, and guide me in the process of finding another career. I wanted someone who cared about helping me to succeed and who could tell me ‘This is what we think you can do.’”

That is when Bibi discovered The Barrett Group. After only one week, Bibi knew what she really wanted to do – and that her dream was within reach.

“I was eager to do something I really care about, which is working with trees. But I never, in a million years, thought I’d be able to do it.”

Bibi was paired up with a consultant that she found to be a great fit. He counseled her on what the job market is like and what her job search approach should be – namely, tapping the unpublished market. He and his team gathered information about environmental groups, specifically one organization of which Bibi was a huge fan.

“Waffles was so supportive in ways that went beyond pep talks. I appreciated that he didn’t just tell me things that he thought I wanted to hear. He was reality-based.”

Bibi felt nervous about contacting CEOs directly, but she did it. “Waffles told me that I will hear back from only about 5-10% of people, but when I do, I will experience magic.”

By Bibi’s account, Waffles was right. She got few responses to her emails, but one that she did get was from the CEO of the very organization that she was most eager to connect with. He invited her to meet and promptly told Bibi that he wanted her to work for him. As he had no specific position for her to fill, he essentially invited Bibi to write a job description for herself. Soon thereafter, he offered her a job – and a salary that exceeded the salaries of similar non-profit positions.

“What I learned about the unpublished market changed my whole approach to job seeking and led to a very successful ending,” said Bibi. “To say it’s a dream come true is an understatement. I’m still in shock! I would never have gotten this job without The Barrett Group.”

Some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals. Photo: 123rf.com

Client:

Erin was a field training consultant with an insurance company based in New England.

Industry:

Drug Manufacturing & Research

Challenge:

After several successful years working at her company, Erin felt that she had outgrown it and wanted help transitioning to a more senior role.

Process:

After first gaining clarity on her career goals, Erin revamped her resume and LinkedIn profile and worked hard to build her anemic network.

Landing:

Despite job hunting during the Covid downturn, Erin landed an “ideal” position as a senior manager in a challenging new field, in her first-choice city, and at a higher salary.

Study:

As a training manager for a national mutual life insurance company, Erin worked with agencies across the country setting up training plans and organizational structures. She had had spent most of her early career in academia and had only transitioned into the private sector four years earlier. She had saved the company millions of dollars, racked up achievements, and felt she’d accomplished her goal: to prove her business chops. She was ready to take the next step up the corporate ladder, however, her company offered few good opportunities.

“My goal in taking this job was to see if my education background would translate into business savvy. I proved it,” said Erin. “I was successful in my field. The problem is that there was no place to grow at my company – no next steps.”

Although naturally driven, Erin worried that she did not have the know-how to take her career to the next level. She perused job postings and submitted resumes, but she did not even find the positions she was applying for appealing.

“My resume was not good. I had a horrible network. I am a pretty good interviewer, but I clearly had a lot of work to do,” said Erin.

Erin was intrigued by the services offered by The Barrett Group. She was nervous about the financial commitment but the more she learned about the process, the more she saw the value in investing in herself.

“The Clarity coach and process impacted my life the most. I came away with a totally different perspective. Career management is not about looking for a job, it is knowing what you want from life and figuring out how your job can complement that vision.”

Although Erin was job hunting at the height of the pandemic, she worked hard with her Barrett Group team to pursue that vision. She collaborated with The Barrett Group to strengthen her LinkedIn profile, grow her network from 150 to 500 people, and revamp her resume and cover letter. Understanding how to align her value proposition with job postings and descriptions to successfully obtain interviews and the ultimate offer was a critical value add. Throughout Erin’s career transition, her Executive Career Consultant and Program Manager kept her motivated and buoyed her spirits when she saw job opportunities evaporate in the Covid downturn.

“Dan helped me keep realistic expectations. He also taught me how to talk about myself as a profit center to entice future employers. I could not have done that without him,” said Erin.

Erin transformed her network into a powerful social capital asset that ultimately determined the focus of her job search in Greenville, South Carolina, where she ultimately found an amazing opportunity in organizational development at a health and wellness firm. When she first heard back from the company, Erin and her coach both knew it was a good fit. Fully prepped, with research and interview preparation coaching she breezed through the interview and offer negotiations processes. Erin skillfully justified and obtained a signing bonus and a relocation package which when combined exceeded the total cost of her program.

“This position is exactly what I wanted. It’s a big role, a senior position, and it diversifies my resume,” said Erin.

For Erin, who swears she will never make another career move without a conversation with TBG, this job search experience has been priceless.

“If you want to substantially change your career, this is one of the best investments you will ever make in your life,” said Erin.

Some identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals. Photo: 123rf.com

Client:

Matteo was senior director of worldwide supply chain for a leading designer and producer of luxury accessories.

Industry:

Luxury, Fashion

Function:

Operations

Challenge:

Soon after starting a new job, Matteo’s new company turned out not to be a good cultural fit, but his efforts to find another job weren’t yielding the results he wanted.

Process:

Learning how to “pay it forward” as he built his social capital unlocked untapped potential in Matteo’s network.

Landing:

Within four months, Matteo had four competing job offers, giving him the luxury of choosing the company where he felt the greatest kinship with his new team.

Study:

For seven years, Matteo worked for a venerable apparel company in New York City, culminating in a role as vice president of global supply chain. When the pandemic compounded existing economic pressures, however, the business struggled to stay afloat. Matteo saw the handwriting on the wall and put feelers out to his network for new job opportunities. He was thrilled when, before long, he was approached by a large, international designer and producer of luxury accessories, which offered him a role as senior director of worldwide supply chain. 

It was an exciting change for him, but unfortunately short-lived. Within months, it became clear that Matteo’s new opportunity was not a good cultural fit. He launched another job search, but this time things proved harder than the first search. 

“I started with a soft approach in the early summer. I hired someone to redo my resume and I took a couple of courses on LinkedIn,” said Matteo. “I used LinkedIn more heavily over time, but by late fall I had exhausted my network. I didn’t know where else to go to get referrals.” 

Matteo had a good network, but his efforts yielded few results. Frustrated, he turned to a friend who suggested he look at The Barrett Group for help.

“I spent a week researching The Barrett Group and decided to give it a try. I realized I needed very structured help and I found it with them,” said Matteo. “I really love that the program combines, holistically, several different elements of job searching, like coaching, clarity, and offer negotiation tactics – I call them weapons.”

Matteo began the Clarity Program in December and was surprised by how much he learned about himself in just four or five sessions. 

“My coach, Beata Piskorz, was very nice, very professional, and always available. Beata really challenged me to brainstorm different things about myself. She particularly homed in on character traits that emerged from my psych test that seemed a bit unusual,” said Matteo. “For example, I’m in the fashion industry, which is inherently uncertain, but it turns out that I like structure and compliance. Those traits lean towards industries where much is pre-determined. As we explored this, it revealed more potential career paths that I never would have thought to consider. It was an eye-opening moment.” 

Matteo discovered that he now had three avenues he could pursue in the course of his job search: 1) fashion and luxury; 2) innovation, and 3) consulting. 

“I was very excited by this information. We decided that I would not leave the fashion and luxury world, but that I would pursue all three avenues in my job search.”

After Clarity, Matteo transitioned to working with his career consultant, Isabelita Castilho. 

“Isabelita was a force of nature!” said Matteo. “I cannot say enough good things about her. She was also great about availability – and I was terrible about bombarding her with meeting requests. She is the kind of coach that is tough but in a fair way. She would sometimes tell me to stop and focus. I really appreciated that from her.”

The first things they worked on were Matteo’s resume and LinkedIn profile. 

“I had already hired someone to redo my resume back in July, so it was already in good shape. But The Barrett Group team made it even better,” said Matteo. With LinkedIn, I learned that your profile shouldn’t be a cut and paste of your resume. That change alone has been impactful. I also changed my header and picture. All this coaching was very beneficial.” 

For Matteo, the most valuable aspect of his TBG experience, however, was learning how to optimize his social capital.

“Learning about the concept of paying it forward from Isabelita was a lightbulb moment for me. I had a decent network and had always kept good relationships, but I realized from her that I wasn’t maximizing them,” said Matteo. “When I started to nurture my network using pro bono consulting in the way Isabelita suggested, that is when my job search really started to take off.” 

Matteo came to fully appreciate the power of paying it forward from his experience with two or three particular people in his network. 

“One of my contacts knows a lot of people and had provided me with some names a few months back, but nothing came of those contacts,” said Matteo. “After I hired The Barrett Group, I called him again and offered to put him in touch with a former boss of mine, who would be a great professional contact for this guy. During that conversation, he was surprised to learn that I was still looking for a job.”

That’s the moment that unleashed the potential of Matteo’s social capital. His contact provided him four to five more names at high-caliber companies that he could connect with. 

“That individual was responsible for two of the job offers I got,” said Matteo.

Matteo found that his paying-it-forward efforts quickly created a dynamic job search. Within two months, he had as many as four job offers, not to mention several other budding opportunities. 

“The most difficult part was making sure I was getting good offers from all the companies. Isabelita was always a point of reference for me. I tend to rush things during job offer negotiations, but she told me not to message the hiring managers too much or I might appear overeager and get a lower offer. It paid off!”

In the end, Matteo accepted a position as executive VP of operations and transformation for a luxury fashion company in New York City, where he got a great feeling about everyone he met.

“The human element is important to me, and, here, the whole team seem to be really good people,” said Matteo.

Matteo is thrilled by his new opportunity, and he knows that he has all the tools he will need if he finds himself in the job market again.

“This pay it forward thing is so easy, yet it’s such a powerful tool,” said Matteo. “Once you see the potential it can unleash, it’s fantastic! It’s one of the best things about the TBG program!” 

Some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals. Photo: 123rf.com

Client:

Matt Fretwell was an entrepreneur who wore many hats: adjunct professor, author, church starter, pastor, and leadership and life coach.

Industry:

Non-Profit

Challenge:

After a long career starting successful businesses, Matt was facing burnout. He wanted to find one position that would fulfill his many passions, but he didn’t know what role that might be.

Process:

Matt got enormous value from being pushed to honestly assess his values in the Clarity Program and aligning them with his talents to develop a more fulfilling, strategic career plan.

Landing:

Matt proposed creating a director of operations position to a startup nonprofit where he volunteered as a life coach, negotiating a graduated compensation plan they could grow into.

Study:

A self-professed visionary and innovator, Matt Fretwell had spent 20 years following his passions and creating successes out of just about everything he put his hand to. A talented chef, he launched his entrepreneurial career as owner and operator of several acclaimed restaurants. Later, his faith led him to create non-profit ministries, found and revitalize churches, develop doctorate-level training programs for other church starters, and pen multiple inspiring books. His depth and range of experience made Matt a sought-after consultant about leadership, ministry, and community engagement for many organizations.

Matt loved what he did, but over time, the challenges of juggling so many roles in his career began to wear him down. Facing burnout, Matt decided to make a change. He wanted to channel his gifts and talents into one position that would both pay the bills and fulfill his many passions.

“I was getting tired of having multiple streams of income. It’s a lot of work shifting gears,” said Matt. “I felt a push to transition to the business side of altruism and thought that a C-suite level position in the nonprofit world might align well with my gifting and talents.”

Matt knew well his strengths and interests: restoring humanity, community outreach, public speaking, strategic organization, and leadership, to name a few. He also knew, however, that finding a position that utilized all his qualities would be difficult. So, he enlisted professional help.

“I wanted to make a shift and do it right, so I figured I needed a team,” said Matt. “The Navy SEALs have a saying: ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with a team.’ I chose longevity.” 

It was humbling at first for Matt to be on the receiving end of coaching sessions because he was used to being the person administering consulting services to others. He was astonished to discover how much his thinking developed when he yielded to the process.

“The Barrett Group really exceeded my initial expectations. I thought I’d just need their help locating a good fit at the income level I was seeking. I didn’t expect to need help in personality assessment, but I was fooling myself. My [Clarity] coach, Ken Malouf, really challenged me to be honest and transparent about my values and goals. Those discussions revealed a lot about how I could follow my inclinations,” said Matt. “Sometimes it is beneficial for us to swallow our pride and recognize that we need a fresh set of eyes to look at our situation.”

Over four weeks Matt took various assessments. Then he and his coach worked together to identify goals that align with Matt’s talents and values and create a long-term personal strategic plan. 

“It was eye-opening. You think you know yourself, but I learned that I have some deep-seated values that I was pushing away. This was partly why I was burning out. Ken would dig deeper and uncover things that I hadn’t put on paper. He’s got a great talent!”

Matt was equally appreciative of his coaching experience when he moved onto the next phase. 

“I really enjoyed working with Lori Chevalier. There is a lot you learn in this second phase, much of it about social media,” said Matt. “I had always thought of myself as an experienced networker – I have thousands of connections on LinkedIn and Facebook – but I’d always been on the side of helping others. It was uncomfortable for me to be in the position of asking someone else for help. But I went with it.” 

Matt also really valued how Lori pushed him to use metrics in his interviews, negotiations, and resume. What he thought had been a really good resume was not actually the case, so “reconstructing” his resume was highly beneficial. When he began shopping it around to recruiters, his inbox blew up with responses. 

The Covid crisis hit in the middle of Matt’s job search and dampened recruiter interest, but he continued to use LinkedIn to find appealing opportunities and leverage his connections to develop an “in”, having faith in the process. 

Matt was aiming for a C-suite level position at a nonprofit or a small business with an altruistic mission. He thought he might have found the right fit with a cancer foundation where he interviewed for a director of operations position. They wanted him to raise $5 million for their organization and he knew he could do it. But something felt off. 

“I wish I could do for Salvage USA what this potential employer wants me to do,” Matt told his wife. He was referring to a startup nonprofit organization that engages emotionally-scarred military personnel in restorative, community-focused activities. As a volunteer life coach at Salvage USA, the organization had become near and dear to his heart. To his surprise, his wife suggested he talk to the team at Salvage about it.

As luck would have it, the founder of Salvage quickly recognized the value to his organization of bringing Matt on as a director of operations. He didn’t have the money to pay Matt much, but Matt proposed that he work largely on an incentive basis the first year, taking a percentage of any new money he might bring in, rather than a straight salary. 

“He took my proposal to the board and they agreed!” said Matt. “That came about through the coaching I got with Ken and Lori. I utilized all the things I’d learned. It was comprehensive.” 

Just two weeks into his new job, Matt is loving the challenge and a renewed sense of purpose from helping a cause he deeply admires. 

“I’ve already submitted a half a million dollars in grant proposals to 12 different organizations. I have even more lined up. In the end, if I do my job well, it will more than pay itself off. I would have not have taken this position, with a compensation incentive like this, if not for The Barrett Group. They have given me confidence that I can do this!”

Client:

Gian Toro was general manager of sourcing for a private, regional auto dealership in the Midwest.

Industry:

Automotive Sales

Challenge:

When his company’s management required staff to work from the office during the Covid pandemic, Gian resolved to quit, but first he wanted help finding a better and more challenging position.

Process:

Gian learned how to quantify and present his accomplishments to make them attention-grabbing both on his resume and in interviews.

Landing:

In under three months, Gian was offered a challenging new opportunity as director of inventory for an exciting, virtual auto sales initiative with the potential to make 50% more in compensation.

Study:

As general manager of sourcing for a private, regional auto dealership in the Chicago area, Gian Toro oversaw and managed the full lifecycle and profitability of inventory and successfully lead and directed 12 people on his buying team. When the Covid pandemic began, Gian became increasingly frustrated with management for setting a policy requiring staff to work from the office.

“Although I spent 90% of my day behind a computer screen, they wanted my team and me to be in the office every day,” said Gian. “I got a lot of pushback from my team about that, and I had to figure out how to rotate 12 people into and out of the office each day to maintain social distancing. It was a big point of contention and a poorly thought-out policy.” 

For peace of mind, Gian decided to leave the company and seek new opportunities closer to family in Charlotte, and possibly in a new industry. Before even launching his search, he resolved to enlist the help of an executive coach.

“Before I got my last job I missed out on a great job in Charlotte in the construction industry. I would have been a strong match for the role, but I flat-out flubbed the interview because of differences in industry nomenclature and because I wasn’t prepared for the kinds of questions they would ask,” said Gian.

This time Gian wanted professional support preparing for interviews and making sure his resume shone. He researched several organizations and settled on The Barrett Group (TBG).

“Once I saw what The Barrett Group offered, that was it. They seemed to have the most complete package,” said Gian.

Gian started with the Clarity Program and found that the results of the DISC personality assessment cemented the suppositions he already had about himself and helped him refine the characteristics of the role he wanted: leadership, design, and implementation.  

“I’ve taken other personality assessments, but what I like about DISC is that you can apply the findings to the next step – namely, ‘Are you in the right job?’” said Gian. 

Gian met weekly with Sharon Richter, his Clarity coach first. 

“I liked working with Sharon. We really connected well. We had insightful conversations and she made it fun to go through stuff that could have been boring and tedious,” said Gian.

In the next phase, Gian got enormous value out of his meetings with his career coach, Lori Chevalier. 

“Lori was awesome. I was always excited to meet with her. She really challenged me,” said Gian. “It was hard for me to quantify my accomplishments, but she really pushed me to do it in a clear and concise manner. The change in my resume was like night and day – and I didn’t embellish a thing! To a hiring manager it popped, rather than being just another piece of paper in the pile.” 

Gian also credits Lori with excellent interview preparation.

“Interviewing was one of my main concerns,” said Gian. “But Lori taught me how to present myself as more than a guy buying inventory – I am building and training teams, creating processes and procedures, and writing policy. 

For Gian, learning how to identify his accomplishments and break down the business impact of those accomplishments was huge.

“I know the value I bring to the table, but quantifying it into dollars, translating it into a concise resume, and talking it through during an interview is hard. The Barrett Group helped me process all that.” 

When Gian officially began letting people know he was looking for a job, things moved very fast. 

“I asked a contact of mine for feedback on my resume, and he happened to know of someone who was looking for someone with my experience and skills. Within two weeks we were all connected,” said Gian.

The position was with an auto dealership network to build out a pandemic-induced initiative to buy, sell, and service cars entirely online for customers who don’t want to visit a dealership at all. Gian’s role would be to buy cars, develop teams, and manage inventory in a way that limits physical points of contact between people. 

Gian had multiple interviews with various people over several weeks at the end of which he was offered the position. 

“I was looking to get out of the auto industry because I was looking for a new challenge. But this challenge is big enough to entice me to stay. Plus, I can be Covid-conscious and work remotely from wherever I want to. That is huge! Not being 800 miles away from family will be fantastic,” said Gian.

Two months into his new role, Gian couldn’t be happier. 

“I would have missed out on this job if I had not hired The Barrett Group,” said Gian. “There was nothing that wasn’t valuable about my experience. Everything played a role in making me ready to land this job. For me to have done so in the time I did…I can’t say enough good things about The Barrett Group.”

Client:

Mike De Pietro was an enterprise account executive for a startup that offers university career centers a software platform to facilitate the job-seeking process for graduates and recruiters.

Industry:

Software, Recruiting, Startup, Health & Wellness

Function:

Sales

Challenge:

Soon after starting a new job, Mike knew that he had made a mistake. Hoping to avoid another career misstep, he sought professional help in reflecting on and making his next move. 

Process:

After looking at his life holistically, Mike better understood what motivates him and he determined to prioritize culture over job title and paycheck in his next job.

Landing:

Within four months, Mike landed a similar position in another startup that offers the culture, corporate structure and employee support that was lacking at his previous position – and at a better compensation level. 

Study:

Mike De Pietro was an enterprise account executive in New York City for a California startup that provides an enterprise-level SaaS platform for university career centers to facilitate the job-seeking process for new graduates and the companies that recruit them. He was brand new to the company. 

For years, Mike had worked in the human resources and talent space at tech startups, juggling a variety of responsibilities from doing sales demos, generating leads, and working with junior sales team members to build robust sales pipelines. He was recruited from his previous job to do a similar role at this new company, and he decided to make the change, not least, because he was offered a compensation package that was more in line with where he thought his compensation should be at this point in his career. 

Within three to four weeks, however, he was planning an exit strategy.

“It was a disaster from the start,” said Mike. “Except for receiving a laptop out of the box, I had no communication from anyone at the company before my start date. No employment forms. I was working remotely, and I couldn’t get in contact with anyone on my first day. I couldn’t get benefits set up. There were red flags all over the place. As a salesperson, I wondered, ‘If I can’t get benefits, would the collateral material be in place when it came time to close corporate deals?’ I knew I needed to get out.” 

Mike’s frustration made him think it might be time to get out of the sales and startup worlds altogether and try something completely different. A transition like that, though, would require professional help.

“I was tired of it. That’s what made me sign up for The Barrett Group [TBG],” said Mike. “I definitely wanted a professional resume writer because I didn’t know how to tell my story well. And the more I thought about it, career coaching – and the reflection that comes from that – seemed really attractive.” 

Mike soon began meeting with Justin Hellman, his TBG Clarity coach.

“Clarity was great, really helpful! It was good to work through the personality pieces of work – the importance of management style and culture,” said Mike. “And for the first time ever I focused on the holistic perspective of my career. I considered ‘What is important to me?’ and ‘What do I want my life to look like?’ That changed my mindset.”

Although he had initially thought that he was done with sales and wanted a wholesale career change – perhaps to work at a museum or a foundation – Mike realized through his Clarity exercises that many aspects of sales, like autonomy, are actually quite important to him and he may not find them in other careers. Moreover, pursuing jobs that fueled his passions could compromise him financially. 

“Clarity was a dash of reality for me. It reframed things for me. I asked myself what in work and work-life balance would make me happy. Would the stress of taking a massive pay cut, especially living in New York City, be worth doing something different? Given where I am in life, I decided it would not.”

In discussions with Justin and, later, Larry DiBoni, his career consultant, Mike concluded that a sales position was the best choice for him as long as his work environment had the right culture, a good leader, and stability. He also learned that he could get exposure to the non-profit institutions that inspired him by joining their boards – even as he continued to make the income he was used to. Lastly, he resolved to find a job that had a physical office to go to.

“I have experienced a lot of mental wear and tear from working remotely in my apartment. It is important to me to have the option to be around colleagues a couple of days per week,” said Mike.

Armed with a new outlook and a solid plan, Mike got to work on his job search, starting with a redo of his resume and LinkedIn profile.

“My Barrett Group resume is far more in-depth than anything I have ever had. I would not have been able to write it, myself,” said Mike. “It was also so helpful to know what to include and what to omit in my LinkedIn profile. The result is that my resume and LinkedIn profile now tell a story, rather than just providing a summary of my experience.” 

Mike also focused on cultivating his network and building social capital. 

“The work of building social capital was new to me. My network is not as strong as I’d like it to be, so it was helpful to reconnect with people,” said Mike. “Phoning is the best. Staying in touch beyond hitting the ‘Connect’ button on LinkedIn is important because there are a diverse set of connections in the real world. You never know when someone might be hiring or need your experience.”

Within about two months, Mike started getting interviews. He fielded a few interesting opportunities, but the winning one came through a third-party recruiter who found him on LinkedIn. Ironically, the opportunity was very similar to the one he wanted to leave – an enterprise account executive for a five-year old startup that markets an enterprise platform to Fortune 500 and 1000 companies – in this case, to support the mental health and well-being of corporate employees. 

“The actual job role is basically identical – same title and responsibilities. It’s funny, though, because it feels very different. There is an office, the benefits are better and there are equity options, which is huge. But the most important thing is that there is a corporate structure that promotes employee communication and collaboration. This is a culture I could be happy in for years.” 

Not only has Mike found a new employer that offers him the kind of employee support he felt has been lacking in his last few positions, but also the new company’s mission, itself, is to help corporations provide its employees with better support.

“It’s so bizarre that I’m going to be able to talk about a platform that provides employees with what I needed. That’s why I’m looking forward to the job so much.”

Client:

Kayvon Bahramzadeh was a manager in global strategy and financial planning and analysis for a growing, private, European market research firm. 

Industry:

Market Research, Small Business Consulting

Function:

Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Global Strategy, Business Development

Challenge:

Kayvon felt undercompensated, unsupported, and culturally disconnected from his company and he wanted a new career in a new city, but he had no idea how to make that happen. 

Process:

Kayvon carefully assessed what he wanted and was qualified to do, then he worked methodically to communicate his value proposition to his network and third-party recruiters, aggressively pursuing the most attractive opportunities. 

Landing:

After learning that an entrepreneur he esteems was involved in launching a management consulting business near him, Kayvon connected with the company, promoted his candidacy, and landed a role as finance advisor in their strategic business unit. 

Study:

Kayvon Bahramzadeh wore many hats at the private, European market research firm where he worked. Initially hired to help build out the global sales and corporate development strategy for the growing company, Kayvon was left rudderless when his boss, the only other person in the strategy group, left the company. Then, Kayvon was tasked with financial planning and analysis work at a previously acquired subsidiary that operated in North America. The job of a co-worker in Germany taking parental leave was later layered on top of his responsibilities, too. Stretched thin, Kayvon began feeling that the time had come for him to move on.

“I was doing three completely different jobs in different time zones. I got little support and no additional compensation. I felt like I was floating around the organization,” said Kayvon. “I got great experience, for which I’m grateful, but it wasn’t a good cultural fit. I felt like an external consultant, not an integrated part of the team and the operations.”

Kayvon knew there was something better out there for himself, but he didn’t know what and he didn’t know where. Working remotely, with a baby at home and a second on the way, he and his wife moved to Phoenix, Arizona to be near family, and Kayvon began job searching. 

“I knew I needed help early. I started by looking at job posts on LinkedIn and Indeed, but I had no idea what I was doing. It was like starting a huge jigsaw puzzle without knowing what the picture looked like,” said Kayvon. 

A former professional baseball player, Kayvon had discipline, self-confidence, and work ethic in abundance. He also had an MBA. But his baseball career had delayed his entry into the work force, and he knew that limited work experience and little job search experience would challenge his job search. So, he enlisted the help of The Barrett Group (TBG). 

“I was behind, playing catch-up, so it was really important to me to learn how to market my strengths and skills in a corporate setting. I also wanted to find an employer that valued the mindset of an athlete.”

For four weeks Kayvon worked with Stacy Ballinger Moles in the Clarity Program to understand the job search process.  

“I loved the Clarity Program. It helped me understand who Kayvon is – as a person, a critical thinker, and an employee. I realized that I should be making a life choice, not just finding a new job,” said Kayvon.

“Stacy was a great mentor. She helped me develop a strategic job search. She had me make a checklist of all the criteria I wanted in my ideal job and measure each opportunity against it,” said Kayvon. “I had an ‘A-ha!’ moment when I discovered skills that that would be of great value to an employer and my self-fulfillment. I took notes on everything I learned from Stacy and referred to them throughout my entire job search.”

With Stacy’s help, Kayvon ruled out sales jobs, instead targeting financial, strategy, and business development roles. His experience in these areas, they thought, might enable him to leverage a vertical, versus a lateral, transition. Kayvon also limited his search to smaller, newer companies with a results-focused culture where hard work and accountability are rewarded and whose leaders are athletes, entrepreneurs, or former military and, therefore, of a similar mindset to Kayvon. 

Kayvon particularly credits Stacy with bringing him down to earth.

“We had disagreements at first. I wanted my next job to get me closer to where I saw my peers, but Stacy explained why it wasn’t possible right now – that I needed more experience. There was a lot of optimism on my end and a lot of realism on her end.”

After Clarity, Kayvon felt so grateful to have two career consultants, Barbara Limmer and Waffles Natusch, to set his wheels in motion. 

“Barbara and Waffles were both so valuable in different ways. They were like a mother/father combo – the perfect balance!” said Kayvon. Barbara was nurturing – such a sweetheart. She helped me understand everything about the industries in Phoenix and formulate strategic plans of action as needed. Waffles was harder on me, which I really needed. He reviewed job descriptions with me, taught me what I should be looking for, and told me what I had no shot at. For example, if someone wanted 10 years of experience, Waffles insisted, ‘Don’t even look at it!’”

New to Phoenix, Kayvon had limited connections, but Barbara taught him now to build a network. Kayvon learned that, because he was still early in his career, his tack should be different from most TBG clients. Instead of relying on the unpublished market, he should get his name in front of as many people as possible. That meant, in addition to connecting with his personal network, he should reach out to recruiters directly.

“It was hard to reach out to people at first. However, I know I would be an asset to any employer, so my coaches asked me: ‘If you received a message from you, would you be excited?’ I said, ‘Yeah, because I bring value.’ Lightbulb! That changed my whole perspective – after that, I felt I was doing someone a favor by introducing myself to them.”

Kayvon and Barbara came up with a message that touted his story and Kayvon sent it to five third-party recruiters every day, working his way through the list Barbara supplied him. Typically, three didn’t respond at all, one would agree to keep his resume on file, and one would engage in a conversation and set up interviews for him. In this way, Kayvon saw his job search generate steam. 

As interviews started rolling in, Kayvon focused on finding companies that aligned with him. It wasn’t easy, but one day his wildest dream came true. 

Kayvon learned that a successful social influencer in sales and entrepreneurship, whom Kayvon has long admired, would be partnering with a business scaling expert and opening a management consulting business in Arizona. Elated, Kayvon connected with people at the company and scored an interview for a finance manager position. Although that application was unsuccessful, a position in the strategic business unit, which was perfectly aligned with Kayvon’s experience, opened some months later. He applied and, to his delight, was invited to re-interview and, this time, give a presentation to company executives about his cultural alignment with the company. 

“I was so aligned with their core values that is was one of the easiest things I’ve ever done! I got an offer that night.”

Kayvon is thrilled that his job search played out the way it did because he ended up with his dream job.

“This company is a great fit for me. I think it’s going to be like an athletic arena in a corporate setting, which is exactly what I was looking for,” said Kayvon. “When I started job searching, I felt like an ant in an overwhelming world. I had no idea where I was or where to go. Getting me aligned with what I want, helping me understand what I’m qualified to do, and teaching me how to get my foot in the door and be taken seriously – that, in a nutshell, is what The Barrett Group provided to me.” 

Some identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals. Photo: 123rf.com

Client:

Maciej Kossowski was commercial director for Poland and general manager of franchise operations in the Baltic states for a multinational beverage corporation. 

Industry:

Marketing, Sales, Information Technology, Medical, Virtual Reality

Challenge:

When his company of 19 years undertook a global reorganization, Maciej’s career growth flattened out and he decided to move on.

Process:

Learning to exploit the potential of LinkedIn and expand his network opened Maciej’s eyes. He also came to see that his nonlinear career path made him the ideal profile for a startup executive. 

Landing:

Maciej accepted a role as chief commercial officer for a five-year-old, polish-based, medical tech startup with international ambitions.

Study:

Maciej Kossowski was commercial director for the Polish affiliate of an American multinational beverage corporation and general manager of franchise operations in the Baltic states. For 19 years he rose through the company’s ranks, working various positions from marketing and sales to revenue growth management, to customer management. 

After his company undertook a global reorganization in 2020, however, Maciej foresaw fewer advancement opportunities. Professional growth was very important to him, so he decided to pursue another career path. He sought professional help and contacted The Barrett Group. 

“I knew there would be heavy lifting and a lot of uncertainties in my career transition, and I wanted a trusted partner who could lead me and keep me motivated,” said Maciej. “The kinds of services that The Barrett Group (TBG) provides are so useful if you haven’t changed jobs in a long time. I think of job seeking as a muscle – if you haven’t used that muscle in a while, it isn’t as strong as it could be. But you can hire career management professionals who can coach you to do what you need to do faster, better, and more easily.”

Maciej started in the Clarity Program, taking stock of where he was and where he wanted his career to go with his coach, Rebeca Gelencser. 

“Rebeca helped me a lot. I did all the assessments. I found the tests – especially DISC – to be very useful for a job transition,” said Maciej. “I liked also that Clarity makes you think about how your career affects other aspects of your life, like your family.” 

In the next phase of the program, Maciej worked with Isabelita Castilho, his career consultant, who helped him revise his LinkedIn profile and taught him the benefits of social capital. Building social capital didn’t come naturally, at first. Most of Maciej’s previous efforts to build professional contacts were limited to people at his former company. Developing external contacts, he found, is a completely different exercise.

“I had a LinkedIn profile before I started my job search, but I wasn’t super active. I didn’t nurture my contacts before because I didn’t need to. Then, suddenly, I needed to,” said Maciej. “Isabelita did a really great job coaching me to develop my connections. I’ve met a lot of great people thanks to her, and it’s clear to me now that your network is crucial.”

Maciej was very motivated to tap into the hidden job market. Using techniques he learned from TBG, he lined up interviews with numerous companies in different industries. His experience was sometimes humbling, but he didn’t give up.

“Ideal jobs don’t just drop into your lap. You have to work towards them, and you fail a lot in a job search. Sometimes jobseekers aren’t ready for multiple rejections, but to get a success story, you need to handle rejection. Isabelita was great because she continued to push me. She kept me going.”

In the course of his journey, Maciej recognized the importance of security in his life – financial security, job security, and stability. But he also realized that it was important for him to work with good people and in a business that makes a good impact on the world. Ironically, working at a large, traditional company began to seem less and less appealing.

“I knew I needed a change when I started having discussions with headhunters and thought: Traditional companies are not ticking the box on “making a difference,” and “the significance of ‘why,’” said Maciej. 

Shortly after beginning his job search Maciej had gotten a call from an old friend who was co-founder of a startup in Poland that provides remote vision therapy to children. He asked Maciej to join his team. 

“It hadn’t occurred to me before that a startup might be right for me. Startups aren’t stable or reliable. There is a huge failure rate. But I came to see that you can have an outsized impact at a startup, you can respond to real needs in an innovative manner, you control the speed of action, and you can reach as far as you want when an opportunity arises.”

Maciej also realized that his nonlinear career path made him the ideal profile for a startup executive.

“Startups need people with varied experiences to manage and grow the business – leaders with a little bit of everything. I have moved diagonally a lot in my career. During my initial job search, people didn’t seem to have a clear idea of what I offered, but my background was perfect for a startup.”

Maciej told his friend that he would think about the offer. Meanwhile, he agreed to do consulting for the company and had a lot of discussions with Isabelita and his family about the sacrifices he (and his family) would face if he accepted a role at a startup. 

A few weeks later, Maciej was ready. Not only did he join the team as chief commercial officer, but he also invested some of his own money into the company. He also assumed the role of CEO for a spin-off company.

“It is so much more rewarding being in the driver’s seat – when you move from being an employee to part owner and employer.”

Maciej is now based in Poland but charged with expanding business into the Middle East, India, and the U.S. He continues to lean on Isabelita to help him understand the business culture in the Middle East, where she has a lot of experience.

“If someone had told me six months ago that I’d be in Abu Dhabi meeting with medical doctors, I would have said it’s not possible. But here I am,” said Maciej. “Working for a startup isn’t right for everyone. You carry a lot of weight with you. But it’s a meaningful job, and I feel great that I can both help people and grow the company. It stretches you professionally, but no other job is as rewarding!”